


Honor

by katarina_230



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-10
Updated: 2014-05-16
Packaged: 2018-01-24 06:26:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1594928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katarina_230/pseuds/katarina_230
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Ned meet Jaqen in King's Landing?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Silence was never present in the Red Keep, Ned used to think, and the night before proved it. He sighed as an image with the king being drunk and with a whore on his lap crossed his mind, and his leg started to hurt again. Where is the maester? he wondered as memories from the night before started to dance in front of his eyes.  
Ned remembered being at the feast, going outside to get some air and hearing screams, followed by the smell of fire.  
***  
The King’s Hand heard noises coming from the Traitor’s Walk, so he headed for the source, expecting to find a fight. With so many drunk people here it’s normal, he tough, but what he saw was over any image he might had in mind.  
The ones that decided to join the Night’s Watch instead of being punished according to what they have done attacked the guards. It was hard to make a difference between the two sides through the smoke, but what caught Ned’s attention when arriving was a cage in which three mans were trapped, fire advancing fast to get them. Before he had enough time to think about it, he picked an axe from the ground and headed for them as fast as his legs could carry him. His eyes were full of water and his moves were slow, but he was able to reach them in time.   
“Gave a man the axe!”, one of them screamed. Ned could not see his features over his blurry vision but his accent betrayed the fact that he was not westerosi. Without any hesitation he put the axe through the bars. His sword was heavy in the other hand and he headed away from the flames.He needed to get out, to call more guards … he needed to … he needed to …   
He did not even realized when he got hit in the back by a longsword, or when he lost his conscious and felt to the ground.  
***  
Standing in his bed Ned wondered why he saved those people. But it was a pathetic question, because he knew the answer even before he started to wonder.   
They were in chains and caged, surrounded by fire. Helpless, unable to defend themselves. It was his duty as Hand of the King to protect them, to try to save them. Ned didn’t knew what they have done to get in there, but he knew that no one deserved to die consumed by the flames. He sighed and felt his heart heavy as he tough of his own father, an image with him as he was the last time they saw each other crossing his mind.   
In seemed that the fight leaved some marks over the Red Keep – the Traitor’s Walk was mostly destroyed and so were some of the closest gardens. Countless prisoners escaped before the guards arrived and were now free in King’s Landing. Ned tough about his daughters, promising to himself that he will not let any harm come to them.  
He closed his eyes, wishing the master would come soon. Pain crossed his leg, as well as his back. The bow was not a fatal one, but it was enough to leave him unconscious for some hours, until he was found next to the Hand’s Tower. At that information, Ned frowned. He did not remember going there.  
The door opened with a crack, letting some light inside his chamber (the maester decided it was better to stay in a dark room, as he needed to sleep in order to regain his power). The ray was followed by a man Ned did not remember – his hair was half red and half white and a smile played across his lips, but it did not reach his eyes. As an instinct, Ned reached for a weapon, but found none.  
“A man does not wish you any harm”, the strange man said.   
The voice. Ned immediately recognized the accent and could now even identify it, even if he had not heard it in a long time. The Free Cities. Perhaps even Bravoos, judging by the way his speech reminded Ned of Syrio, who now trained his younger daughter intro swordplay.  
“Who are you?”  
It was hard to concentrate and even to talk with the pain that caught him, but he did not wish to appear weak. Reaching for a chair, Ned moved to it.  
“This man has the honor of being Jaqen H’ghar, once from the free city of Lorath.”  
Countless questions went through the King’s Hand mind – why did he came to Westeros? how did he end up in the cage? how did he get inside the Tower of the Hand, passing through the guards? Was he the one that dragged him out of the fight, after escaping the fire? – but knowing he could not ask more than one at time, he tried to decide. But before he finished, the man Ned now knew it was named Jaqen talked again.  
“A man should thank a lord for helping. A lord should know, a man pays his debts. A man owes three.”  
“Three?”  
“Only death may pay for life. Speak the names, and a man will do the rest.”  
Ned’s head started to feel like spinning. For a moment he tough he did not heard it well – did it truly mean what it sounded like?  
I was sure there must be a reason for him being imprisoned. A murderer, perhaps a hired assassin, offering his services to him! It was almost a sight for his honor as a Stark – he could easily see Tywin Lannister accepting such an offer and even the Queen, but not him.   
“I shall arrest you right now, Ser. I should put you in the cells and leave you there.”  
“A man is sure a lord must feel offended, through a man is having the best intentions.”  
“The best intentions? Guards!”  
Ned screamed as loud as he could and footsteps started to be heard outside. What were they doing so far away from his door? He will surely need to talk with their commander.  
“Speak three names and a man shall do the rest.”  
With that, Jaqen H’ghar went outside through the same door he entered. Ned waited and waited, but he did not hear sound of fight. After few seconds two guards went inside, asking what was the problem.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been a fortnight after the incident with the cage, but Ned still felt uneasy about the man he meet. One of the questions who passed through the Hand’s mind was regarding to his own safety, as well as his daughters. How could he know if the assassin would not come back? Who hired him anyway?  
The tough didn’t left Ned’s mind when he stood in the Small Council chamber, carefully listening to the news. It seemed like Daenerys Targaryen married a dothraki and now rode with his khalasar.  
“The whore is pregnant!”  
The king’s shout attracted Ned’s attention almost immediately, but it was the next thing he said that made the Hand get up from his chair.  
“I want her dead! Her and her dragon spawn!”  
Suddenly, an image crossed his mind – though he never saw Daenerys, he imagined her as a silver-haired girl with purple eyes, riding through the grass that build the dothraki sea. She was only a child, just two years older than Sansa, and for older that Arya!   
Then a distant memory caught him, one whom he knew it would never leave him – his sister Lyanna begging him for forgiveness, her grey Stark eyes filled with tears as she watched the newborn babe for what was going to be the last time. She was the same age as Daenerys, Ned realized. In his mind a new image formed, having Lyanna’s son in the center. Robert said death would come after every child born from the Targaryen line – dragon spawn - more times than Ned could count in the last week, and was very serious when talking about Daenerys. A cold shiver went through Ned’s body as he tough about Jon Snow. What would Robert do then?   
Ned waved Jon’s image –hurt and dead by Robert’s hand -, but not before he promised to himself he will not let any harm come to the boy. After that, he talked for the first time that meeting.  
“She is just a child! Robert, you can’t be serious!”  
But Ned knew how false his assumption was even before he said it. At first no one paid him any attention, but he punched his fist to the table to draw the looks to him.  
“It’s not a child! It’s a dragon spawn!”  
For all he knew, Ned realized that Robert was nervous and annoyed. His face was flushed and his eyes had something that reminded the northerner of the Mad King.   
“My lords”-said Petyr Baelish, trying to calm down the situation-“I suggest to hire an assassin for this job. It would make the death clean and no one will knew we were behind it.”  
“I will not be part of this!”  
“You will! You monster, how can you feel pity for a fucking Targaryen! Have you forgot your sister? Have you forgot your father and brother? Remember what those fucking Targaryens did to them? Remember?”  
“I remember, but Daenerys was not even born at that time. You can’t make her responsible for the actions her family had done … Your Grace.”  
It took all the dexterity Ned had to move some steps further, avoiding to be hit by a goblet full of wine. The liquid inside spilled all over the table and on the dress the queen wore.   
“Robert!”- the only woman in the room screamed at him – “that’s enough!”  
“My lords! My lords, I suggest to calm down.”  
That time it was Varys the one who talked, but he did not have any more success than Petyr Baelish, who now tried to move some papers away from the king.  
“No! Littlefinger, find an assassin! It can be anyone, I don’t care. I want her dead! Have you heard me?”  
But it was Ned the one that answered.  
“Then I suggest you to find a new Hand!”  
With that he tossed away his sigil and did not wait for an answer – as Lord of Winterfell he stepped out into the hallway, his steps sure and determined. But it was not fast enough, cause he still heard the King giving the command. And he heard Littlefinger’s answer – an envoy for the Faceless Mans was going to leave King’s Landing at the first hour in the morning.  
It could not be long till Robert would sent the guards after him, so Ned moved as fast as he could. He needed to do something, anything – he could not let harm came to that girl! That child who already had been through so much, so much. For all Ned heard the two remaining Targaryens did not have a rich life – they begged at every high lord’s door in Bravoos and, if the rumors were true, Queen Rhaella’s crown had been sold in order to get some food. The marriage to the Khal could assure them both – Daenerys and Viserys – a life as they couldn’t even dream of in the Free Cities. They could have a roof, a home, food ... Why should Daenerys and the child pay with their blood for that?  
Ned remembered the sight of Elia Martell and her kids wrapped in Lannister cloaks. Robert’s laugh …   
No, he could not let any harm come to the Targaryen girl.  
“A lord has his doubts.”  
He did not even realized when Jaqen H’ghar seated himself on a bench. As an instinct, Ned reached for his sword.  
“A man wish no harm. A man only came to pay his debts. Speak a name, any name, and a man shall do the rest.”  
“There is no honor in hiring an assassin”, Ned said but he wasn’t sure if the statement was addressed to himself or to the Lorathi.  
“There is no honor in killing a child.”  
“How do you know that?”  
How could he? No one would have been inside without being observed, the guards were to many – both for the queen and the king. A shiver run through Ned’s back and for a second his leg started to hurt again.  
“A man hears, a man knows.”  
Could it be?  
A crazy tough crossed his mind. If the envoy could be catch, they would never hire a faceless man. But still, the envoy did not have any fault. Suddenly, Ned had an idea.  
“How good are you, truly? How do I know you will not fail?”  
“Of a man talent I can assure you. A man had no mission he failed and a man can assure you that he had a lot of them.”  
“Then how did you end up in the cells?”  
He laughed, but it did not reach his eyes.   
“The man was on a mission … a lord could agree that it’s more comfortable to travel North in a wagon than walking or riding.”  
“A mission … who were you supposed to kill?”  
“This a man cannot say.”  
Silence was present for a few seconds, till Jaqen talked again.  
“A man heard a king wishing for a certain death, and a man saw a lord standing firm against it.”  
“What if I asked you to save someone? Would you do that? Would you save the girl?”  
Jaqen stood up and moved himself closer to Ned. It made the last one feel uneasy, to have so little space between him and the assassin. But he could not be scared, not when he knew that he could do something to save an innocent.   
“Say a name, any name, if you consider it will save the girl.”  
“I don’t want you to kill anyone. I want you to save Daenerys Targaryen.”  
“This isn’t part of the deal, a man should remind a lord. A man promised a lord three deaths, no more, no less. A name is all a man needs. It’s for a lord to decide whose name it will be.”  
There is no honor in tricks, Ned tough to himself. But still … it was no honor in lying to your king. But there it’s honor in saving innocents.   
And I don’t want that man to be my king, Ned concluded. It was a traitor tough, but he could not help himself. After seeing what Robert had become – a man who could murder kids, who didn’t care about the realm and who spend his days whoring and drinking, a man who was king only in name – he was sure of that.   
“Jaqen H’ghar.”  
“A lord gives a man his own name. This must be a jest, tough a lord should know this is no joking thing.”  
“I am not joking.”  
“Take it away.”  
“No.”  
“Please.”  
“I will do it … If you will help me.”  
Jaqen sighed. Still, Ned could not back down. It was the only way he could save Daenerys. The only way he could save Jon’s aunt. And her children – Jon’s cousin. Even if he has hide Jon all those years, he secretly hoped it would be possible to introduce him to the other Targaryens. It was only a dream, cause he knew Jon would never be safe again if the knowledge about his parents would become public.  
“A lord lacks honor.”  
Those words hit Ned more than they should.  
“Don’t hurt anyone … please. And don’t let the envoy get away from King’s Landing. Just catch him, and make sure he doesn’t leave the city. Deliver him to me and I shall take care of him.”  
“This wasn’t part of our deal.”  
“You offered me three deaths … help me save three lives. Do what it’s honorable, Jaqen H’ghar, and help me save that girl.”  
“A man could kill the king. How long does a lord think it will pass before they will become suspicious?”  
Take took Ned aback.  
“Whatever happened to Robert, he is my friend. We grow up as brothers and I would never wish him any harm. Do you accept my offer? Catch the envoy and deliver him to me? Change those three deaths for three lives saved?”  
At that Ned received a nod in approval.  
***  
There had been no word from Jaqen in the first day, not in the second, and Ned started to think that something happened to him. It gave him headaches to think about failing, to think that he could not save the poor girl.  
When five days passed, time in which Ned was named again Hand of the King, he did not expect to get any news. But, when the stars were already shining on the night’s sky, Loras Tyrell was bought in front of him.  
“This is the envoy”, Jaqen told him.  
“Thank you.”  
Ned hesitated before adding a question that bothered his mind for a while.  
“How do I find you?”  
“A lord should not worry about this. A man still have debts.”  
With that, Jaqen disappeared into the night and Ned was left in his room with a scared Loras Tyrell, who probably didn’t have any idea of what had he done to be bough here. Ned could save two more lives if he knew how to ask for them – Daenerys Targaryen was the first. Who would be the second?  
Then he wondered – what would have happened if it was someone else the one that saved Jaqen? Someone like Robert or Tywin Lannister. And, more important, who was that man? Where did he came from?   
Ned felt dizzy and wished to go back home. In Winterfell, where everything was so easy, without all those games. He wished to be in a place where kings didn’t try to kill innocents and hands didn’t need to use hired assassins to stop them. Where he didn’t have to deal with a scared envoy or with all those secrets. Where he didn’t need to trick anyone in order to save a life.  
But had he truly fooled Jaqen? He wasn’t so sure, and he could only hope that it was a honorable man the one that helped him.   
Ned managed to change the deal – to save three lives in order to take them. First one was used. Who would be the second?  
Ned sighed as he started to think about what he will do with the envoy. He could only hope it will not be too hard to convince him to keep the secret.


	3. Chapter 3

_How did I end up like this?_

Ned closed his eyes, trying to ignore the pain from the new wound - courtesy of Loras Tyrell. But the physical hurt was nothing compared to the disappointment that filled the room. Truly, he did not know why he felt more ashamed of. The feeling of guilt crept in, threatening to clutch him, and Ned fought with all the power he had left to stop tears from appearing into his eyes.

The events from that night were clear before his eyes, but a little part of him did not want to believe them. _It can't be so bad._ But it was ... perhaps it was even worse than he tough. Every attempt of a discussion with the Tyrell boy was a failure, and no one could say that he did not tried. Nice, kind, perhaps threatening sometimes, but nothing did work.

_I should have let Jaqen discuss with him._

But, even if Ned wished to believe otherwise, the Lorathi did not have any intention of a conversation. _Monster_ , was all that the Lord of Winterfell, and ex-Hand of the King, could think about the assassin. The man would have slit the boy's throat without even thinking twice. _Or poison him, or who knows what else._

_How could I believe such a man would help me?  
_

But it was not the assassin's fault that Loras managed to kick out Ned ( or that Ned untied the ropes that covered the boy's hands ), just like it was not his fault that Ned could not defend himself and got a new wound, this time on his hand, just before he fainted. A small wound, but a really deep one, he supposed. It was a challenge to move it even after a fortnight.

By the time Ned could get up, he was alone in the Tower of the Hand. But not for a long time - the kingguards found out about "the attempt on Loras Tyrell's life", as well as the "traitor Hand, who tried to stop the king's plans" and "the northern lord who supported the usurper named Viserys Targaryen".

And so he found himself in the black cells, accused of treason and without any information of his daughters. The one he was before he left Winterfell would have tough they were threaten well, but the man he was at that moment, after he _attempted_ to play the game, could not be so sure. _They are kids_ _._ But it was hard to believe that this will be enough for the persons inside the Reed Keep. 

_Robert was my friend for years._

But lately Robert proved that the age or innocence of a person did not matter to him. Would the man who ordered the murder of a girl and her unborn child spare the lives of a traitor's daughters?

The image with Elia and her two children wrapped in Lannister cloaks appeared in his mind. The sound of Robert's laugh as well.

"Lord Stark, it's a honor to see you."

Caught in his toughs Ned did not even hear the Master of Whispers approaching.

"Spare me of this empty courtesy, Lord Varys."

The eunuch only smiled and closed the door behind him. In his eyes stood a strange look, one Ned never saw in that man. But then he realized that a simple indifference was the only expression Varys ever wore. Now he seemed both wary and annoyed, as well are careful.

"It pains me to see you like this Lord Stark, truly. I was starting to grow found of you."

"What happened with my daughters?", Ned asked, deciding to ignore the kind - _empty_ , _false, like everything else in the Reed Keep_ \- words that were addressed to him.

At that the eunuch's eyes grew wide and sad, filled with regret. Almost instantly, Ned forget about the pain and got up.

"What happened to them?"

Varys sighed before answering.

"The older one ... poor girl.Just after the king and Lord Tywin left the capital she was stripped and beaten in front of the whole court by one of the kingguards. Joffrey's orders. I believe you remember the one called Ser Meryn, he was also the one that throw you into this dungeon."

Ned felt like he could not breathe, when thinking about poor Sansa. Sansa, the beautiful, delicate lady, with her head so full of dreams. Sansa, who cried when she first heard of the Night Watch's deserters, who would get herself away from everything that wasn't beautiful. His poor girl, stripped and beaten in front of the whole court, and all because of him!

Even if he wished to know, Ned was almost scared to say what he had in mind. But it would have been even more painful to not know.

"And Arya?"

"The guards went after her, and Syrio tried to defend her. But he was only one, and the guards so many ... it was painful to hear the story, especially told by Trant. They catched her. The poor kid."

When seeing the eunuch had no intention to speak more, Ned asked for the truth, but his voice was barely more than a whisper.

"What happened to her?"

"I would not go into details, but you will make a clear idea of what happened, Lord Stark, if I told you that Rhaenys was treated with mercy when compared with what they did to Arya."

"Tell me."

_Tell me what the did to my child._

"She was flayed till no one could recognize her and exposed in front of the Reed Keep. Then that abomination who rules in his father's place forced Lady Sansa to look and kiss the corpse, while she was still naked. Poor girl. There were so many people to see, so many _knights_ , and no one did anything to help. They all watched and humiliated her. Did you know how they called her? The wolf whore, the traitor daughter ... and those were the kind words."

Ned stood in shock, unable to even move.

"But that's not all. Your heir, Robb, mobilized the Northern army. They are coming to King's Landing. I believe he said "Tell Lord Tywin winter is coming for him, with ten thousand northerners to see if he really does shit gold." to our envoy. He already won a battle, against Kevan Lannister. This is where our king is going, to fight against your son. And your wife is currently in the Vale, trying to gain their support. The Tully's already joined on your son's side, but the Reach supports the crown, along with the Stormlands. Stannis found out about the horrible truth about the queen's kids - that they are all bastards, fathered by Jaime Lannister, and rebelled by himself. This situation did not let the Greyjoys indifferent, either. Balon declared himself King of the Iron Islands again."

"All of this ... all of this because of me."

At that the eunuch's expression became kind, somehow full of pity.

"No, it is not. All you have done was to be much to honorable for this city. Stannis started the rebellion before Robert even tough about killing Daenerys, and the Greyjoys attacked Lannisport the night you were imprisoned, much before they had word of it. Your wife, well ... she pretty much convinced the North of the Lannister twins fault in your son's fall before you were in that cell to. It was only a matter of time before an open rebellion."

"What? How ... how are the queen and the kingslayer responsible for my son's fall?"

"He saw them consuming their love for each other, and Jaime Lannister pushed him through the window."

"How long have I been here?"

"A mouth, my dear lord."

"And why hadn't somebody informed me of this earlier?"

"No one had the time."

Ned wished to punch Varys for that answer, but was able to regain his control before.

"I want you to do something for me", he said, more in a whisper. He leaned closer to the other man, afraid that someone else might hear as well.

"Find Jaqen H'ghar."

"Who this man might be?"

"He's a lorathi, with his hair half red and half white. Just find him."

"And what should I tell him if I do?"

At that Ned stopped, unsure of what he should say next. A month before even the idea of a hired assassin made him feel without honor _,_ but at that moment there were so many people whose name he wanted to tell. So many ...

First he tough of Trant, the monster who caught - and probably he was also the one that killed - Arya, and felt his heart breaking when thinking about the happy child she was the last time Ned saw her. _She told me how much she loved her sword lessons. She thanked me, and then she went to catch some cats._

But killing Trant could not stop the war, he will have to wait.

The he tough of Joffrey, the abomination who humiliated Sansa. _Will she be able to smile again? Ever? Had those monsters raped her as well, after the beating._ Ned did not wish to think about the part in which she was forced to kiss her sister's corpse.

Joffrey would be a good target, he pondered. A prince, about who Robert believed to be his heir. But would that be enough to destroy the crown's power? Would that stop the rebellion?

Of course not. Ned hated to admit that, but that one had to wait for other time too.

The most obvious choice would be Robert, but Ned could not bring himself to say his name. _It is not his fault for what his son had done. It is not his fault for the rebellion._ He shivered as an image with Cersei's son on the iron throne found it's way into Ned's mind.

"Varys, if you could kill any person, whom would you pick? What would stop this _war_?"

"Nothing. Nothing will stop this war, that's for sure, but ... who would I pick? That would be the new Hand, of course. A strategic mind, a proven commander. Surely his death would cause troubles for a while, perhaps enough for your son's army to get past the Lannister territory. Listen to me, Lord Stark. It is Tywin Lannister that rules the realm. But this is only a hypothetical question, isn't it?"

Ned ignored the question and said, with his hands trembling. Being sure that he will lose Jaqen's help, but knowing he had no other choice, he spoke.

"Tell Jaqen I said Lord Tywin. And tell him I begged him to save my daughter, to get her out of King's Landing. Take her to Riverun, where Catelyn's father and brother are."

"And what would this man do to Lord Tywin?"

"This is not one of your concerns."  
"I beg your pardon, my Lord. If it involves me, it is my concern."

After he sighed, he admitted his guilt in what had happened. Perhaps Varys words made him feel a little less guilty about the war that started, but the idea that it was all his fault lingered in his mind. But he still told - about how he saved the Lorathi and the other two, about Daenerys, about Loras ... by the time the story was finished, Ned felt exhausted.

"I will find him.", was all that the eunuch responded after hearing Ned's story, before he left the ex-Hand with his toughs.

***

In the other side of King's Landing a girl stood facing the great castle. She was eleven, with short brown hair, and eyes who told stories no child should know. Even if they didn't find out, she heard everything, she saw everything. Syrio's scream, Sansa's humiliation, the fake corpse that was displayed in front of the Red Keep - _how could they be so blind? It was not even human._ Jaqen told her the name of the material the puppet was made, but she already forgot it. _Sansa, you have to know. You have to know it was not me._

Jaqen found her a week after she escaped King's Landing, and even if she did not wish to admit it, he was the only reason she was still alive. When Arya saw what they did to her sister she wished to run at them, to stab all of them with Needle. But the Lorathi held her, so the girl could not move. For a moment, she was afraid for her own life.

_But he did not hurt me. He wished to help me._

The girl turned around, and found the man standing right behind her. 

"When are we going to free my father?"

"A girl should be more patient, a man has a plan."

"What if they kill him before you can apply your plan?"  
"They will not."

Arya searched the man's expression for doubt, but he found one. She wanted to ask him a question that bothered her even since they meet - why was he helping her? But the girl did not receive any answer when she first time asked ... of the second time, or the third. So she decided to voice other curiosity of hers.

"Who are you? Truly."

"A man it's what a girl sees."  
His voice was plain, without any emotion, but Arya did not give up.

"I see a man who saved me because he had a dept to my father, but who could not save my sister."

Jaqen smiled, but it did not reach his eyes.

"A man will save a girl's sister too. But the debt to a girl's father it's not the reason a man saved the girl."

"But then ... why?"  
"Isn't a girl's life worth saving?"

That took Arya aback.

"I did not say this. I already thanked you for what you did, I just want to know ... who are you?"

He did not even bother to look at her when he talked again.

"A man will save a girl's father and sister, but a girl needs to obey."

"A girl will obey."

"Good then."

The next day they were found by a man from the castle - the Master of Whispers, Arya remembered. And he had news from her father. Arya could not do anything but hope he was well, while the three of them went to a more private place.


End file.
